Frederick Ernest Osborne

Frederick Ernest Osborne (January 20, 1878 – October 22, 1948) was a Canadian politician. He came to Calgary in 1905 and founded a book, stationary and school supplies business. Mr. Osborne served as the 23rd Mayor of Calgary from 1926 to 1929. In 1901, he married Florence Curlette of Belleville, Ontario. Mr. Osborne was President of the Calgary Rotary Club (1921 to 1922); President of the Board of Trade (1925) and a member of the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta (1923 to 1942). He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Alberta in 1947. Frederick Ernest Osborne died in 1948. He now has a school named after him in Northwest Calgary.

F.E. Osborne Junior High

In 1961, The Calgary Board of Education decided to honour by building a junior-high school in the (then) new North-West Calgary community of Varsity, the medium-sized school was opened in 1967, and today is expanded to serve the communities of Hawkwood and Tuscany.

Osborne’s Book Store

Mr. Osborne established this well-known retail outlet in 1905. It remained in its original location, 112 - 8th Avenue S.W., until it was destroyed by fire in 1966. Fred Osborne took a leadership role in many of Calgary’s service and social clubs. He was a president and district governor of the Rotary Club, president of the Calgary Board of Trade, a Mason, and a Shriner. He was also a member of the Ranchman’s Club, the Calgary Golf and Country Club, and the Glencoe Club. Politics was another area in which he became actively involved. He twice served the city as an alderman, and he was the mayor of Calgary for three years (1927-1929).

Awards

The University of Alberta recognized Mr. Osborne by awarding him an honorary degree of Doctor of Law. For his leadership role in the War Finance Committee, he was awarded the prestigious Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This honor was given to him a few months before his death in 1948, and it underlined the fact that he had worked industriously for the people of Canada and the citizens of Calgary, in particular.

External links

• F.E. Osborne Junior High School